KUALA LUMPUR – Gerard Monteiro will step down as president of the Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) after six years at the helm, with Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin Tuanku Muhriz set to succeed him at the association’s annual general meeting this weekend.
Speaking to Scoop, Monteiro, who took over as SRAM president in 2020, confirmed his decision to leave the post but said he would remain available to guide his successor if needed.
However, he stressed that Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin must be given the freedom to chart his own course and introduce his own blueprint for the association.
“Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin will be coming on board as my successor once our AGM is over this weekend. He is a former squash player, has a wealth of knowledge about the sport, and I believe he is the right person for our succession plan.
“I will still guide him and provide him with the current SRAM blueprint, but he has to have his own blueprint. He can make changes and do what he thinks is right,” he said when met today.
Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin, who was recently proclaimed Tunku Panglima Besar of Negeri Sembilan, has a long-standing connection with squash and currently serves as president emeritus of the Negeri Sembilan Squash Association, as well as an adviser to the state’s tennis and pickleball associations.
His involvement in the sport has included efforts to promote squash at grassroots level, including programmes aimed at introducing more youngsters to the game and identifying emerging talent in Negeri Sembilan.
The incoming SRAM president also has a background in youth development, education and public policy, and is the founding president of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS).
Monteiro said Malaysian squash had been built over decades by successive generations and that he did not regard the achievements during his tenure as his alone.
“I can’t take the credit. There were many people before me who laid the foundations. Without them, we wouldn’t even be anywhere near where we are today,” he said.
Reflecting on his own journey in the sport, Monteiro recalled travelling to the United Kingdom to play squash in 1989, saying his generation helped open the way for Malaysian players to gain greater exposure overseas.
He said subsequent generations continued to build on that progress, with players such as Kenneth Low, Ong Beng Hee and Mohd Azlan Iskandar going on to achieve significant success on the international stage.
SRAM’s development programmes also produced Beng Hee and Azlan, both of whom went on to win major Asian titles for Malaysia.
Monteiro said his role during his six-year tenure was less about taking credit and more about ensuring the association remained financially stable and its programmes continued, particularly during difficult periods such as the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I came in and I made sure that the association was adequately funded, so the technical programmes could continue. I don’t interfere with the technical side,” he said.
He said his focus throughout his tenure was on maintaining continuity, ensuring sustainability and creating room for the sport to grow.
“I did my part. I came, I ensured there’s continuity, sustainability, and we had growth,” he said.
Monteiro’s impending departure comes after Malaysian squash enjoyed another highly successful Asian Games campaign, with the national team winning four gold medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.
Ng Eain Yow and S. Sivasangari won the men’s and women’s singles titles respectively, while Malaysia also captured both team gold medals.
Despite the success, Monteiro has repeatedly stressed that Malaysian squash cannot afford to become complacent, with continued investment needed to ensure the next generation can maintain the country’s position among the world’s leading squash nations.
He believes Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin will inherit a strong foundation but must now determine how best to take Malaysian squash into its next phase.
“For me, the foundations have already been laid. I have just done my part during my time,” he said. – October 8, 2026